Tokyo Swallows Off-Season Updates: March 6, 2012

Milledge has been making the most of his plate appearances this pre-season.

Team News

No idea whether this is for real or not, but Ogawa has said that he likes having Yuhei around because he can be used in the outfield or as a pitcher (LHP). Yuhei was a top pitching prospect that never panned out for the Swallows. He started working on converting to the outfield after the 2009 season.

Tokyo lost 1-3 to the KIA Tigers of the KBO on February 27th. Both Tateyama and Yoshinori pitched well and were able to throw strikes. Yamada came up with the team’s lone RBI in the ninth.

The farm team beat their counterparts from Fukuoka 1-0 on February 28th. Yuichi, playing first and batting cleanup, recorded the game’s sole RBI on a double in the bottom of the fourth.

Tokyo played to a 4-4 draw against Hokkaido on March 3rd. Masubuchi started and pitched five innings while surrendering four earned runs. Not that it matters since it was just a pre-season game. On offense, Milledge (2-3, 1 run) and Hatakeyama (3-4, 1 run, 1 RBI) seem to be seeing the ball well. Balentien did not make the trip up north for this game.

And they played to another draw, 3-3 this time, against Hokkaido on the following day. Yamada was 2-5 at the plate and Milledge had another 2-3 day as the starting DH. He tied the game in the top of the fourth with a solo shot to right off of Hokkaido reliever, Hisashi Takeda.

It sounds like Kyuko’s rehab is going pretty well, and he may be able to make it back to the top team roster by the beginning of the regular season. Like Tateyama, he had surgery on his hand at the end of 2011 to deal with some blood-flow problems.

However, Kawabata’s rehab is not moving along quite as quickly, and there is a strong likelihood that he won’t be ready to play by the beginning of the season.

Former Swallows News

We reported earlier that Norichika Aoki‘s (Milwaukee Brewers) playing time took a serious hit when Ryan Braun avoided a 50 game suspension. However, starting right fielder Corey Hart just had arthroscopic surgery on his knee after an MRI showed a meniscus tear in his knee. He’ll miss the rest of spring training and might not be in the dugout when the season gets under way.

Ryota Igarashi (Pittsburgh Pirates) retired the side when he pitched the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays on March 3rd.

Christopher is a budding sabermetrician and long-time supporter of Tokyo's more lovable team, the Swallows. He has publicly volunteered, several times, that he plans to buy the team at some point in the future. When he finally runs the joint, it is likely that he will fine any player who swings at the first pitch or sac bunts (unless it's a pitcher, of course). Follow him on Twitter: @chrispellegrini

Oogieball

Here’s to hoping Lastings can keep it up. He looks so different with a hair cut.

FLR

Could you update us on how to watch next season on TV in Japan? My understanding is that games are on Fuji TV One, i.e. their premium channel. Or do they also show games on the regular Fuji TV? Is there a list somewhere (Japanese or English)?

In general, for CS and BS:
TYS home games on Fuji TV One (CS).
Away against Tigers or Fighters on Gaora (CS) or Sky A Sports + (CS).
Away against Giabbit on G+ (CS).
Away against Dragons or Carp: J Sports (just moved to BS).
Away against BayStars was on TBS NewsBird (CS), but I’m not sure if the change in ownership means a change in who airs Yokohama home games.
I am guessing most of the interleague games will be on JSports.

Baseball on terrestrial TV in Japan is not a happy experience. Broadcasts start late and end early, commercials are crammed in at inappropriate times, etc.

Thanks, gentlemen. Scott’s link didn’t work but if you go to the site and select April and then click on Swallows you get the month’s TV schedule. It looks like I get all the away games. I am in Shibuya-ku and get Itscom cable TV service. If I upgrade to the highest package, it includes the Fuji TV premium channels. Although I think away games and attending some home games is enough.

Yes, TBS NewsBird is still showing Yokohama; they are showing pre-season games right now. Looks a nice stadium. I should go there for a game